]]>http://inhabitat.com/street-artist-louis-masai-michel-brings-attention-to-colony-collapse-disorder-with-murals-of-bees/feed/0Flow Hive lets beekeepers harvest honey without disturbing the beeshttp://inhabitat.com/flow-hive-new-crowdsourced-project-lets-beekeepers-harvest-honey-on-demand/
http://inhabitat.com/flow-hive-new-crowdsourced-project-lets-beekeepers-harvest-honey-on-demand/#commentsMon, 23 Feb 2015 22:03:35 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=723940We know that honeybees are having a rough time, so naturally we're excited to hear about Flow Hive—a new honey collection and extraction system that allows beekeepers to easily extract honey from their hives by quite literally having it on tap. The result]]>

]]>http://inhabitat.com/flow-hive-new-crowdsourced-project-lets-beekeepers-harvest-honey-on-demand/feed/1Stressed-out young bees contribute to colony collapse disorder, research showshttp://inhabitat.com/stressed-out-young-bees-contribute-to-colony-collapse-disorder-research-shows/
http://inhabitat.com/stressed-out-young-bees-contribute-to-colony-collapse-disorder-research-shows/#commentsWed, 11 Feb 2015 14:53:27 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=721568Colony Collapse Disorder, a condition represented by the sudden disappearance of bee colonies, has long been a source of concern. The devastating epidemic is generally thought to be caused by pesticides and other environmental stressors, but new research shows]]>

Colony Collapse Disorder, a condition represented by the sudden disappearance of bee colonies, has long been a source of concern. The devastating epidemic is generally thought to be caused by pesticides and other environmental stressors, but new research shows there may be an additional cause: stressed-out young adult bees.

]]>http://inhabitat.com/stressed-out-young-bees-contribute-to-colony-collapse-disorder-research-shows/feed/0How one Bay Area couple plans to save the bees by planting one billion wildflowershttp://inhabitat.com/how-one-bay-area-couple-plans-to-save-the-bees-by-planting-one-billion-wildflowers/
http://inhabitat.com/how-one-bay-area-couple-plans-to-save-the-bees-by-planting-one-billion-wildflowers/#commentsThu, 05 Feb 2015 22:54:54 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=720342Bee populations have been in decline for over a decade now as the alarming phenomenon known as Colony Collapse Disorder sees worker bees vanish from their hives. But Bay Area parents Chris Burley and Ei Ei Khin have come up with a simple, if ambitious solution]]>

Bee populations have been in decline for well over a decade now as the alarming phenomenon known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) sees honey bees vanish from their hives. But Bay Area parents Chris Burley and Ei Ei Khin have come up with a simple, if ambitious solution to combat this problem: they hope to plant one billion wildflowers. And their rainbow-colored Seedle seed-bombs make it easy for anyone to join in the effort.

]]>http://inhabitat.com/how-one-bay-area-couple-plans-to-save-the-bees-by-planting-one-billion-wildflowers/feed/023 pollinating species in Britain have gone extinct over the last 150 yearshttp://inhabitat.com/23-pollinating-species-in-britain-have-gone-extinct-over-the-last-150-years/
http://inhabitat.com/23-pollinating-species-in-britain-have-gone-extinct-over-the-last-150-years/#commentsFri, 12 Dec 2014 19:00:30 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=709415It would appear that pollinators in Britain have been declining for a lot longer than researchers realized. Contrary to the belief that local bees and wasps only began to go extinct after World War II, new evidence is showing that the large-scale changes]]>

It would appear that pollinators in Britain have been declining for a lot longer than researchers realized. Contrary to the belief that local bees and wasps only began to go extinct after World War II, new evidence is showing that the large-scale changes in agricultural practices that began shortly after the First World War were the catalyst for these insects’ demise. Since 1850, 23 pollinator species have gone extinct, with the first massive disappearance occurring in the early 1920s. This rapid decline could have severe consequences for the future of food security across the U.K.

]]>http://inhabitat.com/23-pollinating-species-in-britain-have-gone-extinct-over-the-last-150-years/feed/0Snøhetta’s Vulkan Hives Bring Urban Beekeeping to a Rooftop in Oslohttp://inhabitat.com/snohettas-vulkan-hives-bring-beekeeping-to-oslo/
http://inhabitat.com/snohettas-vulkan-hives-bring-beekeeping-to-oslo/#commentsFri, 22 Aug 2014 21:26:48 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=683093The gorgeous Vulkan Beehives were designed to reflect their use - multi-faceted cut honeycomb with a stretched texturized hexagon pattern on each of its surfaces. Clad in a warm honey color, the pair of beehives double as sculptures, adorning the food hall's]]>

]]>http://inhabitat.com/snohettas-vulkan-hives-bring-beekeeping-to-oslo/feed/05,000 Honey Bees to be Equipped with Sensors to Study Colony Declinehttp://inhabitat.com/5000-honey-bees-to-be-equipped-with-sensors-to-study-colony-decline/
http://inhabitat.com/5000-honey-bees-to-be-equipped-with-sensors-to-study-colony-decline/#commentsMon, 28 Jul 2014 21:00:26 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=605255In a groundbreaking study, 5,000 honey bees in Australia are set to be fitted with tiny sensors in an effort to better understand Colony Collapse Disorder. The 2.5mm by 2.5mm Radio Frequency Identification sensors work much like a car's e-tag, and scientists]]>

In a groundbreaking study, 5,000 honey bees in Australia are set to be fitted with tiny sensors in an effort to better understand Colony Collapse Disorder. The 2.5mm by 2.5mm Radio Frequency Identification sensors work much like a car’s e-tag, and scientists will use a technique called “swarm sensing” to study how changes in the environment impact the behavior of bee colonies.

]]>http://inhabitat.com/5000-honey-bees-to-be-equipped-with-sensors-to-study-colony-decline/feed/0INFOGRAPHIC: How to Identify the Docile Honeybee from its More Aggressive Counterpartshttp://inhabitat.com/infographic-how-to-identify-the-docile-honeybee-from-its-more-aggressive-counterparts/
http://inhabitat.com/infographic-how-to-identify-the-docile-honeybee-from-its-more-aggressive-counterparts/#commentsFri, 25 Jul 2014 14:30:19 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=674529Did you know that one out of three bites of food that Americans eat is directly or indirectly derived from honeybee pollination? Honeybees play a crucial role in the nation's food supply, which means the alarming decline and disappearance of their hives due]]>

Did you know that one out of three bites of food that Americans eat is directly or indirectly derived from honeybee pollination? Honeybees play a crucial role in the nation’s food supply, which means the alarming decline and disappearance of their hives due to Colony Collapse Disorder poses a major threat to U.S. and world agriculture. To make matters worse, the poor and docile honeybee often gets confused with the aggressive hornet, which leads some people fearful of bee stings to indiscriminately kill off the important pollinator. That’s why Angie’s List compiled an infographic that will help you “bee informed” about the different types of bees and the importance of preserving honeybee populations.

]]>http://inhabitat.com/infographic-how-to-identify-the-docile-honeybee-from-its-more-aggressive-counterparts/feed/1Honeybee Winter Die-off “Too High for Long-term Survival” – USDA Reporthttp://inhabitat.com/honeybee-winter-die-off-too-high-for-long-term-survival-usda-report/
http://inhabitat.com/honeybee-winter-die-off-too-high-for-long-term-survival-usda-report/#commentsTue, 20 May 2014 21:14:21 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=649674The preliminary results of the 2013–14 report on overwinter colony loss amongst U.S. honeybees have been announced by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The report shows that while die-offs were not as bad as the previous winter, they are]]>

The preliminary results of the 2013–14 report on overwinter colony loss amongst U.S. honeybees have been announced by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The report shows that while die-offs were not as bad as the previous winter, they are still at levels considered too high, confirmed Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. To compound the issue, researchers aren’t sure why there was a slight improvement this year, making it impossible to predict or influence results for next winter.

]]>http://inhabitat.com/honeybee-winter-die-off-too-high-for-long-term-survival-usda-report/feed/0New Harvard Study Reveals Link Between Bee Colony Collapse Disorder and Neonicotinoid Pesticideshttp://inhabitat.com/new-harvard-study-reveals-link-between-bee-colony-collapse-disorder-and-neonicotinoid-pesticides/
http://inhabitat.com/new-harvard-study-reveals-link-between-bee-colony-collapse-disorder-and-neonicotinoid-pesticides/#commentsTue, 13 May 2014 21:54:31 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=647842A new study by the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) confirms what has long been feared: insecticides, in particular those in the neonicotinoid class, are causing the wide-scale collapse of bee colonies. According to the UN, bees are responsible for pollinating]]>

A new study by the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) confirms what has long been feared: insecticides, in particular those in the neonicotinoid class, are causing the wide-scale collapse of bee colonies. According to the UN, bees are responsible for pollinating 70 of the 100 crop species that account for 90% of the world’s food – so it’s a scientific imperative to find and eliminate the cause of declining bee populations around the globe.

]]>http://inhabitat.com/new-harvard-study-reveals-link-between-bee-colony-collapse-disorder-and-neonicotinoid-pesticides/feed/1Open Source Beehives let Citizens Save Bees from their own Backyardshttp://inhabitat.com/open-source-beehives-let-citizens-save-bees-from-their-own-backyards/
http://inhabitat.com/open-source-beehives-let-citizens-save-bees-from-their-own-backyards/#commentsTue, 11 Mar 2014 21:14:51 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=625038A new crowdfunding project aims to put the power to fight colony collapse disorder in the hands of everyday people. Now, anyone can log on and download a simple design for their own internet-connected beehive. These hives do more than provide a home for local]]>

A new crowdfunding project aims to put the power to fight colony collapse disorder in the hands of everyday people. Now, anyone can log on and download a simple design for their own internet-connected beehive. These hives do more than provide a home for local bee populations — they also give scientists new tools to monitor global bee health using specialized sensors which track geolocation, humidity, temperature, bee numbers, and even the mood of the colony. The hope is that being able to crowdsource this data will help scientists better understand why bees are declining and how to protect them.

]]>http://inhabitat.com/open-source-beehives-let-citizens-save-bees-from-their-own-backyards/feed/7Artist Aganetha Dyck Teams Up With Bees to Create Amazing Honeycomb Sculptureshttp://inhabitat.com/aganetha-dyck-uses-the-help-of-honeybees-to-make-unique-sculptures/
http://inhabitat.com/aganetha-dyck-uses-the-help-of-honeybees-to-make-unique-sculptures/#commentsWed, 26 Feb 2014 22:34:54 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=620134Dyck has been working with honeybees to make her art works for over 20 years, but the pieces take an especially somber tone since the onslaught of colony collapse disorder has hit North America and Europe. Her intricate pieces, delicately woven and decorated]]>

]]>http://inhabitat.com/aganetha-dyck-uses-the-help-of-honeybees-to-make-unique-sculptures/feed/0USDA Pledges Millions to Help Honeybee Populations Recoverhttp://inhabitat.com/usda-pledges-millions-to-help-honeybee-populations-recover/
http://inhabitat.com/usda-pledges-millions-to-help-honeybee-populations-recover/#commentsWed, 26 Feb 2014 15:51:38 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=620119The U.S. Department of Agriculture is pulling out the big guns to save struggling honeybee populations, pledging millions of dollars to help ranchers and farmers nurture bee colonies for food production. In the past, beekeepers have transported bees to the]]>

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is pulling out the big guns to save struggling honeybee populations, pledging millions of dollars to help ranchers and farmers nurture bee colonies for food production. In the past, beekeepers have transported bees to the Upper Midwest during the summer to gather nectar and pollen, and then moved them in the spring to California in order to pollinate crops. But colony collapse, loss of habitat and pesticides have decimated bee populations, causing losses as high as 30 percent each year.

]]>http://inhabitat.com/usda-pledges-millions-to-help-honeybee-populations-recover/feed/4FARMM’s b-Shack is an Urban Hive and Bee Study Center for McGill Studentshttp://inhabitat.com/farmms-b-shack-is-an-urban-hive-and-bee-study-center-for-mcgill-students/
http://inhabitat.com/farmms-b-shack-is-an-urban-hive-and-bee-study-center-for-mcgill-students/#commentsFri, 07 Feb 2014 16:06:44 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=613337The brilliant b-Shack developed by McGill School of Architecture students is an urban beehive that doubles as an educational facility. The project will bring urban beekeepers and volunteers together to help foster Montreal's bee population by creating a pavilion]]>

The brilliant b-Shack developed by McGill School of Architecture students is an urban beehive that doubles as an educational facility. The project will bring urban beekeepers and volunteers together to help foster Montreal’s bee population by creating a pavilion that is surrounded by working hives. The educational structure is designed to mimic a hive, and it provides a forum for locals to learn about the effects of colony collapse disorder.

]]>http://inhabitat.com/farmms-b-shack-is-an-urban-hive-and-bee-study-center-for-mcgill-students/feed/0Honey Bee Colony Collapse Disorder Linked to Tobacco Plant Virushttp://inhabitat.com/honey-bee-colony-collapse-disorder-linked-to-tobacco-plant-virus/
http://inhabitat.com/honey-bee-colony-collapse-disorder-linked-to-tobacco-plant-virus/#commentsWed, 22 Jan 2014 22:23:48 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=607973Honey bees photo from Shutterstock
A new report published in the journal mBio shows that the staggering rise in honey bee deaths over the past decade could be partly due to a virus that stems from tobacco plants. Researchers found a relationship between]]>Honey bees photo from Shutterstock

A new report published in the journal mBio shows that the staggering rise in honey bee deaths over the past decade could be partly due to a virus that stems from tobacco plants. Researchers found a relationship between bee deaths and the tobacco ringspot virus. The virus is spread through infected pollen, and it can jump from tobacco plants to soy plants to mites, making for a triple threat to hungry bees.

A new study in the journal PLoS One has revealed that UK honeybees are only providing a quarter of the pollination that is actually needed for all of the nation’s crops. Out of the 41 European nations studied, the UK had the second lowest level of bee colonies, which has led the experts to worry about the nation’s long-term food security. While the country’s crops are still being pollinated by other means — so-called “wild pollinators” like bumblebees and hoverflies — studies show the other species UK agriculture relies on are also in decline.

]]>http://inhabitat.com/falling-numbers-of-honeybees-threaten-uks-food-security/feed/1Scientists Launch ‘ZomBee Watch’ Website to Track Parasite-Infected Zombie Bee Sightingshttp://inhabitat.com/scientists-launch-zombee-watch-website-to-track-parsite-infected-zombie-bee-sightings/
http://inhabitat.com/scientists-launch-zombee-watch-website-to-track-parsite-infected-zombie-bee-sightings/#commentsFri, 01 Nov 2013 18:40:48 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=579460Bee photo from Shutterstock
Last year a team of scientists at San Francisco State University discovered that parasitic flies are attacking bees and turning them into zombies that walk around in circles until dying and hatching larvae from their abdomens.]]>Bee photo from Shutterstock

Last year a team of scientists at San Francisco State University discovered that parasitic flies are attacking bees and turning them into zombies that walk around in circles until dying and hatching larvae from their abdomens. Professor John Hafernik believes that tracking and studying these parasite-infected “ZomBees” will provide insight into colony collapse disorder, and he’s turning to the public for help. Hafernik just launched a ZomBee Watch website where citizens can upload information on ZomBee sightings around the city.

]]>http://inhabitat.com/scientists-launch-zombee-watch-website-to-track-parsite-infected-zombie-bee-sightings/feed/0PopTarts Works’ Cardboard Beehive Hotel Can Support a Colony of City Beeshttp://inhabitat.com/poptarts-works-cardboard-beehive-hotel-can-support-a-colony-of-city-bees/
http://inhabitat.com/poptarts-works-cardboard-beehive-hotel-can-support-a-colony-of-city-bees/#commentsMon, 07 Oct 2013 20:00:56 +0000http://inhabitat.com/new-post-submission-288/The designers of PopTarts Works were alarmed by the growing disappearance of Toronto's bees, so they went about trying to find a design solution that could help their fuzzy, flying local friends. What they created was a Beehive Hotel—a bee-friendly space]]>

The designers of PopTarts Works were alarmed by the growing disappearance of Toronto’s bees, so they went about trying to find a design solution that could help their fuzzy, flying local friends. What they created was a Beehive Hotel—a bee-friendly space that encourages urban pollinators to make a home and reproduce. The hotel is a sculptural object that uses simple materials and laser cutting for a unique and contemporary form. The Beehive Hotel is designed to support a colony of mason bees, which is estimated to pollinate up to 2,000 flowers per day.

]]>http://inhabitat.com/poptarts-works-cardboard-beehive-hotel-can-support-a-colony-of-city-bees/feed/1Study Shows Car Exhaust Destroys Honeybees’ Sense of Smellhttp://inhabitat.com/study-shows-car-exhaust-destroys-honeybees-sense-of-smell/
http://inhabitat.com/study-shows-car-exhaust-destroys-honeybees-sense-of-smell/#commentsThu, 03 Oct 2013 16:00:41 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=567027A new UK study shows that the fumes emitted by cars may have a devastating impact on honeybees' ability to find and recognize flowers to use as food. The scientists found that pollutants in diesel destroyed the natural aroma of rapeseed flowers, making their]]>

A new UK study shows that the fumes emitted by cars may have a devastating impact on honeybees’ ability to find and recognize flowers to use as food. The scientists found that pollutants in diesel destroyed the natural aroma of rapeseed flowers, making their smell so different that bees didn’t even recognize the plants as food. While many are pointing to harsh new pesticides as the cause of honeybee decline around the world, traffic fumes may be one more stressor that is helping to push global bee populations to the brink.

While environmentalists and politicians disagree about whether or not to ban pesticides suspected of killing honeybees, some farmers are completely disregarding bee-protecting legislation that’s already on the books. Ben Hill Griffin Inc., one of the largest citrus growers in Florida, has been illegally using pesticides on its crops, resulting in the deaths of millions of bees throughout the state.